April 19, 2010

Here's my problem with blogging: I'm too slow for it. I'm a slow thinker, a slow writer and consequently, a slow blogger. I have dozens, if not hundreds of ideas with nothing to show for them except unrefined fragments and incomplete thoughts.

Of course, I'm not slow at everything, just the things I care most about. Writing takes more time than reading. Coherence requires more effort than complaining. Creating demands more space than than consuming. It's easier to copy and paste than cultivate something halfway original. Even publishing a quick and ranty blog post takes me far longer than skimming through 150 posts on Google Reader.

So why do I spend most of my time on the things I care least about? Probably because I'm quick to dive but slow to swim. Over committed and under compensated, I've painted myself into more corners than I can count. A perfect case in point is my burdensome grad school investment that is "too big to fail" with no bailout in sight. It's too late to pull out, but too early to see any fruit.

Here's a good recipe for frustration: Commit yourself to things that take a ton of time and leave yourself no time to complete them with any degree of joy or satisfaction. Mix well and repeat. You'll soon be stewing in your own juices.

Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I am also slower than most, and it was good to read from someone who shares this burden. Too many ideas--not enough time to develop and express them well. Just know that whenever you do manage to get your thoughts out to the world, I am enriched by reading them.

That said, reading your stew recipe was nearly enough to send me into a panic.